Oh No! Not Another Brat!
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After dinner, at dusk, like a cat, I left the house to await my prey. I was in my fort. It was by far the best fort I’d ever made. And now it had come in handy as a stake-out. With the squeak of the door, Raymie finally crept out. Holding my breath, I watched him slowly walk by. When he passed, I jumped out the door and screamed, “I’m going to get you!” His eyes were mixed with fear and surprise as he jumped to avoid me. He couldn’t go back into the house by Mommy. I had him trapped. So, he ran down the alley with me chasing him. “I’m going to get you!” I screamed. He was fast. I was surprised at how fast he was. We had reached Berwyn and he started toward Western which was two blocks away. When we had reached Western, I knew I had him. He wasn’t allowed to cross the street. “Ok Raymie, now you’re trapped!” I yelled. He looked one way and then another way. I could see fear in his eyes. “Oh yah?” he yelled. I raised my fist to punch him, but suddenly he ran into the street and didn’t see the car until it was too late. A loud thump, the screeching of brakes, and Raymie was lying in the street. I stood there looking at his lifeless body. What have I done?
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About the Book
In 1956, at age 14, Don ran away from home with his younger brother after a one-way argument with his father. “I don’t give a damn if you want to finish watching your program!” Bring the boats in now!” After years of abuse, neglect and a family with no love, this incident broke the camel’s back. The next day, Don stole $35 from his father’s drawer before telling his mom of his runaway plans. “Oh, yeah?” she replied in her usual lackadaisical way, and then continued on with her sewing. The plan was to ride their bikes from Illinois to Florida, unbeknownst to them, a pedophile killer lurked the streets of Chicago. At 18, Don found an escape – he dropped out of school to join the Navy, where he met many other challenges. He was first stationed in Hawaii, right after it had become a state, and was attacked by a huge, crazed Samoan man, who may not have been fond about the US military being in his homeland! Several years later he got into a major argument with his wife and took off with the family car. He was going to Hollywood, California to find his sister, even though he didn’t know her last name, or where she lived. A miracle occurred when he got there. Now at age eighty, the author is going through his toughest challenge: caring for his wife of sixty-one years, who is struggling with the last stages of dementia and under hospice care. Join the author as he looks back at the obstacles he’s overcome and the lessons he’s learned along the way in Oh No! Not Another Brat!
About the Author
Donald L. Miller was born in 1942 during World War II. He was the eldest of eight children and mostly raised himself. He had a passive mother who was always too busy taking care of babies and an abusive father who had no interest in his children. He served in the Navy and is a devoted fan of the Chicago Cubs.